Villain With The Absolute Evil Sytem
Chapter 57 - 55 : Setting things in motion before departure

Chapter 57: Chapter 55 : Setting things in motion before departure

The scent of blood and sweat still clung to Shirley’s skin as she stepped into Lumian’s home. Her body ached, muscles strained from hours of relentless carnage and the chase that had nearly cost them their lives.

She stumbled slightly, catching herself on the wall.

"Shit... I think I could just fall asleep right here," she muttered, exhaling heavily.

Lumian, standing near the door, gave her a glance.

Shirley caught the silent message in his eyes.

She sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I know. After I clean up."

Satisfied, Lumian walked further inside. Shirley, meanwhile, dragged herself to the bathroom, peeling off the blood-soaked remnants of her clothes. She twisted the faucet, and as the cold water splashed onto her skin, she let out a deep sigh.

She thought back to the chase.

Reinhardt.

That monster had nearly caught them.

"That guy is a fucking psychopath," she called out from the bathroom.

Lumian, sitting on the couch, smirked but said nothing.

"What’s his deal, anyway? Isn’t he a big-shot hero?" Shirley continued, rubbing dried blood off her arms. "I thought he was supposed to be in some big-shot country fighting a kaiju or some shit. The hell is he doing in Moamao?"

Lumian leaned back, looking up at the ceiling. "He’s here for me."

Shirley paused.

Her head slowly peeked out from the bathroom doorway, water dripping from her hair.

"Damn." She wiped her face with a towel. "What the hell did you do to piss him off?"

Lumian only smiled.

He said nothing more.

Shirley narrowed her eyes. "You—"

Knock.

A sharp rapping at the door.

Shirley tensed.

Her fingers instinctively itched for a weapon, her body coiling like a spring, clearly Reinhardt had left a serious expression on her mind, but Lumian remained unfazed.

"Come in."

The door opened cautiously, and in stepped two men, Stone and Boulder.

They hesitated as they took in the sight of their boss, then their eyes shifted

And they saw her.

Shirley.

Standing barefoot, dripping water, blood staining her skin even as the towel barely covered her. She picked a piece of flesh out of her hair.

Their breath hitched.

Stone’s fingers twitched slightly, and Boulder nearly stepped back.

But neither moved, they were in the presence of Lumian, they had to comport themselves.

Lumian, however, noticed their reaction.

He smirked. "That’s Shirley." His tone was light, casual. "She owes me a lot."

Shirley’s lips parted slightly.

That was all?

That was how he introduced her?

After everything? She thought she was more

She looked away, tightening her grip on the towel.

Lumian, meanwhile, had turned back to the two men, his expression hardening. "You’re late."

Stone immediately straightened. "We— We came earlier, but you weren’t here."

"You should have waited."

His tone was different now.

Stricter.

Harsher, compared to when he spoke to Shirley.

Shirley tilted her head, observing the way Stone and Boulder remained still, absorbing his reprimand without argument. He was firm with them. More than he ever was with her.

Stone swallowed. "Understood."

Boulder, however, kept stealing glances at Shirley, clearly unsettled by her presence.

Lumian caught the look.

His smirk returned.

"What? Scared?" He gestured lazily at Shirley. "She’s just a girl."

Neither man spoke.

Lumian chuckled. "Good. Now, enough about that."

He reached to the side, grabbed a thick, leather-bound book—then tossed it toward them.

Boulder caught it.

"Open it."

Boulder hesitated but obeyed.

As he flipped through the first few pages, his face drained of color.

His throat bobbed.

"My God..." he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Stone frowned, stepping closer to glance over his shoulder. "What’s in there?"

"In that journal is my plan for Moamao, it contains not only ways to over turn the island and make it my own but also strategic spots and buildings and anything that would make the process more efficient.

It truly is a work of art, such a shame I won’t be a part of the process. I’ll be leaving soon."

Boulder slowly turned to look at Lumian.

It wasn’t just fear in his gaze.

It was something else.

Respect and Awe.

Stone, however, was still focused on something else entirely.

"Wait... you’re leaving?"

Shirley, who had been silent, now turned fully toward Lumian, towel forgotten.

"You’re what?"

Lumian remained quiet.

His expression was indifferent.

"I just said it, didn’t I?"

Shirley’s fingers curled slightly. "Where?"

He didn’t answer.

Stone clenched his jaw, then slowly exhaled. "...Understood." He glanced at Boulder. "We’ll carry out your instructions."

Boulder, however, remained stiff.

He cleared his throat deliberately loud, causing Stone to pause.

Stone frowned. "What?"

Boulder hesitated.

He looked back at the book.

Then back at Lumian.

"Boss..." His voice was low, almost reverent. "Some of the things in here... I don’t think we

can do this."

"But we will try to the best of our abilities to actualise your plans," Stone cut in, shooting Boulder a reprimanding gaze.

Lumian laughed.

"Oh?"

He stepped forward, hands in his pockets.

"If it’s just your abilities," he said smoothly, "you wouldn’t even get past the second page."

Stone stiffened.

Boulder remained silent.

Lumian tilted his head slightly.

"You need power."

His smile widened.

"Step forward."

Boulder and Stone exchanged glances.

There was an unspoken question in their eyes, but neither of them voiced it.

Then, without hesitation, they stepped forward.

Lumian stood up from his seat, rolling his shoulders lazily. His gaze was sharp as he reached out, placing a hand on each of their foreheads.

Boulder looked toward Stone. "What now?"

Stone shrugged.

And then the heat began.

It started as a faint warmth on their skin. Then, it grew hotter.

Much hotter.

Their muscles tensed, and they tried to step back on instinct, but Lumian’s grip tightened.

Their movements halted.

The heat turned into searing pain.

"Ghh—"

Boulder clenched his jaw, but his body trembled.

Stone gasped, his knees shaking as sweat dripped down his temple.

The pain didn’t stop, it only got worse. It felt like something alive was carving into their flesh, branding their very existence.

Then came the real agony.

The power itself.

It slithered through them like molten metal in their veins, tearing through their muscles, their nerves, their bones.

And then they screamed.

Their knees buckled, their bodies collapsing to the ground as Lumian continued the process.

The sheer force of his grip kept them from thrashing, but their faces twisted in pure torment.

The inscription on their foreheads squirmed, shifting as if it had a will of its own.

Then, finally It stopped.

The heat vanished.

The pain ceased.

Lumian removed his hands, stepping back.

Boulder and Stone gasped for air, clutching their foreheads as the burning sensation slowly faded.

The inscription settled, the mark no longer shifting but now fixed in place—an eternal reminder, a brand.

A gift.

A curse.

They sat in silence for a moment, dazed.

Then, as the feeling returned to their limbs, they slowly pushed themselves up.

Something was different.

They felt it.

The air around them seemed lighter.

The weight in their bodies had shifted and it was no longer normal. It was something more.

Boulder clenched his fist, watching his fingers flex with newfound power.

Stone did the same, testing the strength in his limbs.

They turned to Lumian.

"How do you feel?" he asked, voice calm.

They looked at each other, and then, in perfect unison

"Powerful."

Lumian smirked.

"Good."

His eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

"I have given you the strength to carry out my plans," he continued. "Do not fail me."

Without hesitation, both men dropped to a knee and bowed their heads.

"Yes, Boss."

And with that, they turned and left.

Shirley, who had watched everything from the side, remained still.

Her fingers twitched.

A strange, unfamiliar feeling coiled in her chest.

She didn’t know why she cared for what just happened.

But as she watched Lumian bestow his power to others just as he had to her, she felt something ache inside her.

A realization she didn’t want to acknowledge.

’I thought I was special.’

She bit her lip.

Then, without a word, she turned and silently entered the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

The water had long turned cold.

Shirley didn’t care.

She stood beneath the stream, head lowered, arms wrapped around herself.

Her mind was silent.

Yet her heart was loud.

The scene replayed over and over in her head. .

The way he had gifted them his strength, the same way he had given it to her.

She didn’t know why it bothered her, but it did.

She clenched her fists.

Suddenly the bathroom door creaked open.

Her breath hitched.

Before she could react, something soft hit the floor with a light thud.

A towel.

She turned her head slightly and saw him.

Lumian.

Standing at the doorway, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

He met her gaze.

"I gave you enough time," he said flatly.

Shirley blinked, lips parting slightly. "What—"

"I’m tired," he continued. "I need a shower."

A pause.

Then, his lips curled into a slight smirk.

"You can either leave and wait for me to be done..."

His gaze flickered over her form—

"Or you can stay."

Shirley’s breath hitched.

Her heart pounded.

The water continued to drip down her skin.

Lumian didn’t look away.